Memphis Tennessee Riots Of 1866.

About three years ago I did a page on the Memphis Tennessee Riots of 1866, which can be found in my archives under the dates of ( 8-27-06--9-3-06. ) This gives the history on how the riots got started. This new page will be about the men and women that were there and give their statements on what happen to them in the riots, these statements are in their own words. If you had a ancestor in the riots and would like to know if they give a statement you can write to me and I will be glad to take a look. My address can be found in my profile.

B. F. BAKER, late first lieutenant 3d regiment United States heavy artillery, residing in Fort Pickering, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Question. Did you know men from your regiment being killed during the riots which commenced May 1, 1866, in Memphis, Tennessee State their names, and company to which they belonged.

Answer. Private Joseph Lunde, company E, was killed Tuesday evening; was shot through the breast; saw him die. Private Isaac Richardson, company H, was killed by a gunshot wound on Tuesday night, May 1, 1866. Private William Withers, company H. was killed by gunshot wound on Tuesday night., May 1, 1866 ; saw his body Wednesday morning. Private George Cobb, company H, was killed on Tuesday evening by a gunshot wound ; saw his body that night. Private George Black was killed Wednesday morning: the body was found on South street bridge, at second bayou. I also saw the dead body of a colored man named Levi Baker, at the corner of Main street and Butler’s avenue, who was killed Tuesday evening. Baker appears to have met his death from a gunshot wound through the stomach. On Tuesday afternoon, about five o’clock, I was in the southern part of the city and heard firing in the direction of South street, and went to that vicinity.

I ordered all the colored soldiers whom I met to go with me to Fort Pickering. Twenty-five or thirty went with me. There was only one colored soldier who refused to go with me. Not more than twelve other soldiers remained in that part of the town. After going to the fort with the colored soldiers, I again returned to the scene of disturbance. This was after dark. The soldier who refused to go to the fort with me was Sergeant Lewis Hurst, of company H; I saw him on Wednesday morning but he was not engaged in any of the riots. My regiment, including the officers and men, was discharged from the service on the 30th, of April, 1866.

Corporal Lewis Robinson, company K, was killed on Wednesday morning did not see his dead body, but know he was reported on the pay rolls of his company as having been killed on that day. Private Allen Summers, company L, was reported on the pay-rolls of his company as having been killed on Tuesday or Wednesday. Private Alfred Turner, company H, was wounded in the fleshy part of the left arm on Tuesday evening; the wound was from a pistol shot.
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ANDREW MEADOWS, (colored,) at No. 9 Linden street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Question. State when, where, and by whom you were wounded.

Answer. I formerly resided in a frame house at the corner of Causey and South streets. On Thursday morning, May 3, 1866, about two o’clock, I heard a rapping at my door, and shortly after two men came to the window at the head of my bed; they broke the window, when a white man stuck a pistol in at the window and fired at me; the ball king effect in my left hand. This man and another man then came into my house, and the same man who shot at me struck me on the left side with a sharp instrument. Some one then took my pocket-book, containing twenty-five dollars, ($25.) The two men then broke open my trunk and took four suits of clothing, worth seventy-five dollars, ($75,) and took some clothing belonging to my wife. About one-half hour later, the same white men returned and set fire to my house. There were a large number of white men here at this time, and they burned several other houses besides my own. The man who shot me and struck me is named John Callahan; he kept a drinking saloon at the corner of South and Causey streets, opposite my house; I did not know the other man. I heard Callahan say, just before the house was burned, “God damn him! I know he has got more money than this, and if we can’t find ‘it, we will burn up the house!” At the time of this occurrence I was employed as a fireman on the steamer R. M. Bishop, at forty-five dollars ($45) per month and board.
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WILLIAM W. WHEEDEN, residing on South street, east of Main street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Question. Did you see the origin of the riot on Tuesday, May 1, 1866?

Answer. On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about 4 o’clock p. m., I was standing in the door of my store, on South street near the Bayou bridge, when I saw four policemen coming from the direction of Main street, followed by about fifteen negro soldiers, and the same number of negro citizens. When opposite my door I saw one of the negroes push a policeman. The crowd proceeded as far as the bridge, about twenty rods from my store, when the police stopped on the bridge and faced the crowd. I saw two or three negroes seize wood from a wagon in the street and throw at the police ; they also commenced firing their revolvers in the air, and some of them fired at the police, and the others continued to throw wood. The police then drew their revolvers and fired at the negroes. About thirty shots were fired by both parties, and one of the policemen was wounded and fell on the bridge. A few shots were fired after the policeman was wounded. The parties then separated, the negroes going toward Main street, and the policemen took up their wounded comrade and went toward Causey street. During the firing large numbers of negro women and children had come into the street. Some of the negro soldiers were drunk when they passed my store.
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WILLIAM B. HOOD, residing at No. 109 Main street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Question. Did you see any persons wounded during the recent riots? If so, state their names, and when and where wounded.

Answer. On the second day of the riots, about 7 o’clock p. m., I was going south on Main street with three colored men in my employ, when I met a party of firemen near the corner of Main and Exchange streets. One of the firemen struck one of my men named George Clapp with a horn, when another firemen said, “Shoot the son of a bitch.” I saw a man aim his revolver at Clapp and fire three shots, two of them taking effect in the thigh. One other colored man named Franklin Gross was shot in the small of the back by the same party who shot Clapp. Gross is severely wounded; Clapp will recover. At the time of this occurrence these colored men were walking quietly along the street, and did not say anything. I tried to protect the negroes, when three of the firemen struck at me with revolvers, and others said: “Shoot him for taking their part.” Neither myself nor the negroes had any weapons. These firemen stopped at the engine-house of company No. 6. The man who had the horn was an Irishman, and the whole party looked like rowdies.
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JULIA YATES, (colored,) resides on South street, east of Main, (a washerwoman by occupation,) after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Saw the beginning of the riot at 4 p. in., Tuesday, May 1, 1866. Saw a large number of colored soldiers drinking on Main street, at Mr. Wadloe’s grocery store. Three policemen stepped up to the crowd and told the soldiers they were not allowed to drink and get drunk. One of the soldiers walked up to the police with a stick and tried to strike him, the rest of the crowd pulled the soldier back; the crowd then went down Main towards South street, the police in advance, the same soldier still trying to strike the police, but held back by the crowd. As soon as the policemen reached the bridge, they stopped and turned towards the crowd, and one of the police fired at the crowd, and two shots were then fired in return, one of which hit a policeman. Two shots were fired by the police, one of which hit a soldier in the neck.

The police then went down South street, leaving the wounded man in a grocery. Soon after a crowd of white men came from Causey street, and killed a colored soldier near a large brick house on South street, near Second bridge. Three men knocked the first negro down, and then shot him four times, and robbed him of his pocket-book and watch. The second negro ran towards Grady’s hill, and several shots were fired at him, one of which hit and killed him. The crowd then came up South street, one having a colored soldier in charge. The man having the negro struck him with a pistol three times. The crowd then moved up South street, and killed a negro woman named Emeline. I saw her dead body the next day in Mr. Kelley’s store. The crowd went up town and returned almost immediately with shot guns, and remained in the road near Smith’s grocery. My husband, Allen Summers, was also wounded. On Wednesday, about 3 o’clock, I saw several houses on Grady’s hill, near the school-house, on fire. I saw some citizens going towards these houses, and soon after the houses were on fire.
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GEORGE ARMON, (colored,) residing at No. 108 Fourth street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On Wednesday, May 2, 1866, between three and four o’clock in the morning, six (6) or eight (8) men came to my house. The names of one of the men was Boyle, who has a grocery store on Poplar, near Fourth street. Another man was called Haggarty, who has a grocery on Poplar street, near Fourth, told me the next day that he was with the party. The party knocked at the door and ordered me to come out Some one in the party remarked that they “could not burn the damned niggers out without burning two white families on east side.” They remained there five or ten minutes and then went away. About the same number of men came to my house the next night about twelve o’clock; two policemen were in my grocery at the same time. The party demanded entrance, and the door was opened ; shortly afterwards the policemen and crowd went away together.
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SARAH ARMON, (colored,) residing at 108 Fourth street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Between one and two o’clock a. m., :Wednesday, May 2, 1866, a party of men came to my house and knocked three times at the door; I knew two of the men; one of the men was named Boyle, and one was named Haggarty; I heard some one in the party say, “We can’t burn these damned niggers out without burning the two white families each side of them.” They remained a short time and then went away. The next night Mr. Kline and Mr. Moore, policemen, were in my grocery about 12 o’clock, when a party of men came to the door and knocked; the door was opened, and one man started to come in, when Mr. Moore stopped him ; the man said “ We want that nigger.” Mr. Moore spoke to some one in the crowd and said “Go home, Joe,” there is no negro man here; I did not know the man spoken to; the policemen went away with the crowd.
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JAMES DUNLAP, (colored,) nurse at Freedmen’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about dark, I saw a squad of twenty or thirty men conic down Main street, and as they passed the Freedmen’s Hospital they fired at the hospital. two of the patients in the hospital were wounded by shots from the crowd ; one of them in the leg and one in the shoulder. Some of the men in the crowd that fired had stars on their breasts, and were policemen. I saw an Irishman with black whiskers shoot a colored man near the hospital. The man is called Pat, and visits at a grocery near the hospital. The colored man was looking at the crowd at the time, and was not doing anything.
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LOUIS BENNETT, (colored,) patient in Freedmen’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On Wednesday, May 2, 1866, about sunset, six white men stopped me in front of the Gayoso house, and one of them asked me if I had been a soldier. I told him I had been on a gunboat. He then called me “a damned smoked Yankee,” and struck me on the left arm with a club and broke my arm between the wrist and elbow. One of the other men struck me on the head with a club, and knocked me down. The men then took my watch and pocket-book containing fifty dollars. I laid where I was knocked down till the next morning.
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GEORGE HAGAN, first sergeant company G, second battalion, sixteenth United States infantry, stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

Shortly after the riots in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, which commenced May 1, 1866, I heard Mr. Morning Star, proprietor of the National Theatre in this city, say that the “riots were a good thing,” and he “wished every damn nigger was massacred, as they had no business to live among white men,” and other words to the same effect. I have heard conversations of the same kind at his entertainments among the audience.
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JOSEPH TEUFEL, residing on South street, west of Hernando, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about 3 o’clock p. m., I saw Lieutenant Jericho lead a party of about one hundred and fifty negroes from Morris Cemetery toward South street, and shortly after heard firing in that direction. On Tuesday night, May 1, 1866, about 12 o’clock, several citizens came to my house and searched for Lieutenant Jericho, and said they would hang him to a tree behind the house if they caught him. Lieutenant Jericho was not in the house. I knew several f the party; one was named Hagan and another Harrigan, Harrigan’s stepson, and a. man to me unknown was in the party.
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SAMUEL VAN PELT, (colored,) residing on South street, near Hernando, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows :

On Tuesday, May 5, 1866, about 5 o’clock p. m., I was standing on the South street bridge, and saw a white man dressed in uniform coming down Elliott street. Some policemen were going up that street at the same time, and a large crowd of negroes were following them. I heard some of the negroes halloa “stop that son-of-a-bitch,” and saw the man on horseback turn around and fire at a policeman. The policeman fell down. I was about fifty yards distant when the policeman was shot.
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LUCINDA LEE, (colored,) residing on South street, near St. Martin street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On Thursday morning, May 3, 1866, about two or three hours before day, I saw some policemen set fire to four houses on South street, near the bayou bridge. There were twelve men in the party. In the ruins of one of the houses, on Thursday, I saw the remains of a woman and child who had been burned to death. I also saw one of the men in the party shoot and kill a woman who was going towards one of the houses to get some clothes she had piled outside of the houses. The man who shot the woman was a heavyset man, full face, with light hair and beard. He had on gray clothes, which I saw him pull off, when I saw that he had on a suit of black. I saw the son of the lady who lives next door to Ryan’s house in the party. The man is a Dutchman, about five feet nine inches high, light hair.
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WILLIS JONES, residing corner of Linden and Mulberry streets, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

I am a blacksmith, and have a shop on Main street. On Tuesday evening, May 1, 1866. shortly after six o’clock, I was about starting home to supper, when I saw a large crowd of policemen coming up Main street, from the direction of South street. The policeman then passed me, but a thick-set man, about five feet ten inches high, in rear of the crowd, aimed his pistol and fired at me, the ball taking effect in my right eye. I walked away from him and he fired at me again.
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DAVID SMITH, (colored,) residing near Mississippi and Tennessee railroad depot, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On Tuesday night, May 1, 1866, about 9 o’clock, I was at Mrs. Grady’s, in South Memphis, and a party of seven men, with pistols, came to the house. One of them was named Pat Pendergrass, and another man was named Burns. Burns jabbed his pistol against my neck and said, “God damn you, I ought to shoot you.” Pendergrass and Mrs. Grady interfered and saved me.
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JAMES FINN, residing on Winchester street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

I am a policeman of the day force, city of Memphis, Tennessee. On Tuesday, May I,
1866, about 54 o’clock p. m., John O’Neil, David Carroll, John Stevens, and myself were on Causey street. We heard a great noise in the direction of St. Martin’s street, and we went in that direction Near Morris cemetery I saw a crowd of about fifty or sixty negroes, which increased to a crowd of one hundred or one hundred and fifty, among whom were several negro soldiers. I asked one of them what the trouble was, and he said, “Its none of your God damned business, you damned white-livered son of a bitch; you got no business over here.” This negro was dressed in citizen’s clothes. This man said, “Go for Carroll, that white-livered son of a bitch.” The negroes then formed a half circle around us, and two negro soldiers took hold of Carroll, who finally got away from them. Stevens and myself then commenced going east on South street, and had reached the Bayou bridge, and were about twenty-five yards from the crowd, when I heard pistol shots from the negroes and saw policeman Stevens fall, wounded through the thigh. O’Neil and myself then turned toward the crowd and commenced shooting at them. I fired four shots, and the whole crowd dispersed. I then started up Avry street, and met a white man dressed in citizen’s clothes on horseback, who told me to stop and go with him, saying, “You are my prisoner.”
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P. McMAHON, residing on Robinson street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

I am captain of the day police of Memphis, Tennessee. James Finn and John Stevens, of the day police, were wounded during the riots which commenced in Memphis, Tennessee, May 1, 1866. John Stevens died soon after he was wounded. There were no others of the day police who were reported to me as wounded during the riots. I had twelve men on duty in the seventh ward of this city on the day of the riot. Four men were on duty in the vicinity of the southern part of the city, where the riot originated. There is no reserve force kept at the station-house, nor any prescribed rules for assembling the police in case of a riot. The four men who were on duty on South street the day of the riot were John Stevens, James Finn, David Carroll, and ,John O’Neil.
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OBADIAH STOCKLY, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On the 3d of May, 1866, three white men, names unknown to me, came to my house and inquired if I had any arms; I said there was a gun in the house; they ordered me to bring it out; asked me if I had been a soldier; said I had better not own it if I had; they took my pocket-book, containing seventy-one dollars in greenbacks, and a gold watch. They also took my gun and left it with a man by the name of Johny, who lives near Mrs. Jacobie’s, and who knows the names of the parties that robbed me. The men were armed with revolvers, and presented them as they approached the house.
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KIT TEMPLE, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On the night of the 2d of May, 1866, a mob came to my grocery store and fired through the door, and then broke down the door and came in and went to work carrying out all my goods. They started to set my house on fire, but Mr. Casper (stops at the Delmonico House) got them to stop it. He begged of them not to rob my store, but they would not listen to him. I heard some of the party call three of the men by the names of Mike Colton, Johney Reed, captain fire engine No. 2, and Allen Young. I think Mr. Casper would know some of them. Full amount of loss $1,404.
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COLEMAN DEFAULT, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On the evening of the first day of May, 1866, David Roach, policeman, and several other policemen, came to where I was, on South street, and fired the house, shot me twice, beat me on the head with pistols, and robbed me of what money I had and my discharge from the army. David Roach shot me the first time, in the thigh, but could rot tell who shot me the second time. After Roach shot me, I begged of him not to kill me; he said, “Yes, God damn you, I will! You, and all the balance of you.” I think they left me for dead. That night I rented another house from Captain Barns, and a party of men burned it that night. They shot and wounded a man who was trying to stop the fire. Loss will amount to thirty ($30) dollars.
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KELLUM MOON, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:

On the evening of May 1, 1866, as I was coming down Main street, a party of men coming, (one policeman,) meeting me, commenced shooting at me and killed my horse. I ran away and made my escape. They came into ray house, broke open my trunk, and took inst of it thirty-seven dollars in greenbacks and $1.75 in silver, a coat and pair of shoes, worth nineteen dollars ; my horse was worth one hundred and thirty-five dollars.
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ANDREW MINTER, living on South street, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:

On the night of the d of May, 1866, three or four men came to my house and knocked at the door; I did not open it; they then went around to the window and broke it open. There were some buildings burning near by, and by the light of which they saw me lying on the bed. They fired a pistol; the ball went through my left hand. Two of the men then came into the house. I recognized the voice of one of them as Mr. Clanahan, who lives at the corner of Causey and South streets. This man then stabbed me in the side with a small knife. I feigned death so as to be able to make my escape. They broke open my trunk, took my own and wife’s clothing; finally took my pocket-book containing twenty-five dollars, after which they set the house on fire, and swore they would shoot any one that attempted to carry me out. I waited till the fire was well under way, and pulling a quilt over my head, escaped by a back door.
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SALLIE HAWKINS, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, deposes as follows:

On the 3d day of May, 1866, a party of men came to the house occupied by myself and husband, Daniel Hawkins, killed him and took from his trunk fifty dollars in money and some clothing to the amount of ten dollars. One of the men is named Mr. Dunn ; he keeps a grocery store on South street, near the bridge, across the bayou.
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MARIA TROTTER, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:

On the night of the 2d of May, 1866, four men came to the house occupied by myself and husband, Ned Trotter, knocked at the door, but I did not answer. They then set fire to the house, and before I could get out the house was all in a blaze. The house and all we had was lost. There was sixty dollars in money in the house which was lost. Our loss without the money would amount to three hundred dollars. My husband was absent at Little Rock at the time. About half an hour before, I saw them shoot a woman, Rachel, and set fire to her after they had killed her,
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EDWARD JACKSON, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:

On the 2d of May, 1866, while I was at my work in the city, the house I occupied was burned down. I had in my trunk one hundred and ninety-five dollars. The woman who occupied part of the house stated that she saw the man who set fire to the house take the money and some other articles out of my trunk. I was afraid to go home until next day, when I learned the disturbance was there. When I did get there I found all I had gone. I also had two diamond rings taken which had been presented to my dead sister by her mistress. I have often been offered one hundred dollars apiece for the rings. Lost carpenter tools and other articles, besides the money and rings, amounting to eighty dollars. The woman who occupied part of the house has since gone to St. Louis.
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MATHILDA HAWLEY, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testifies as follows:

On the 1st of May I saw a colored soldier, named Charlie, walking quietly along, when a policeman walked up and hit him on the head with his revolver, breaking the weapon. Then a white man shot the soldier. This occurred in front of my house. After that I saw a colored man, named George Howard, with four white men; another colored man, named Uncle Dick, who has a house near where I live, was next molested. The white men broke in the door of the house and fired into it twice. The next morning I went into the house and saw the dead body of Uncle Dick with a bullet hole through his breast. After they fired into Uncle Dick’s house they passed around the corner and I heard one of them say, “Let us go and burn up these damned nigger shanties;” another said, “No, we promised the widow (a white woman) that we would not disturb her, and the houses might burn.” Then George Howard said, “Let’s go and kill them while they are asleep.” One of the white men said, “No, let’s wait until they come back.” Then Howard said, “It’s a good time now while they are asleep.” I was close to them, hiding. The next day I met George in the street, and as he met a white man be said, “So you are thinning them out, are you, God damn them.”